Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Rush Limbaugh: "I hope he fails" - posted by David


Let the record show. I NEVER heard anyone say these words about George W. Bush: "I hope he fails". But Rush Limbaugh said it. See the whole story at http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/20/limbaugh-obama-fail

There is a huge difference between how George Bush began his presidency in 2001, compared to that of Barack Obama in 2009. Sure, there were or are unhappy, dissatisfied voters who didn't "get their way". That's just the way it is in in our democracy. The difference is that any disapproval of Bush was the direct result of the outcomes of his actions and policies. But for Obama, president now for barely a week, there really are no results yet. In fact, the right-wing slime machine has been up and running, in full gear, since last November 5. 

What do you have to say about this? What do you think? Is this the way you want your neighborhood, community, city,  state, or nation to be?

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Dream Doggy Beers - by Oscar

Lorna, the younger daughter of my people, once talked about an interest in becoming a brewmaster. There are already some beers with a canine theme - Hair of the Dog in Portland and Flying Dog Pub in Aspen. So I have some suggestions for Lorna's beers based on the names of my cousins, Chloe, Stanley and Jason.

**Chloe Bimbo Blonde Hefeweizen**
Your unfiltered basic - looks better than it tastes
(or is it the other way around?)

**Flat Face Stanley Stout**
In a wide-mouth bottle for easy drinking, no dribbling

**Jason IPA Lot**
Extra hops, more taste, and a little "lift" in every bottle

Monday, January 19, 2009

Squirrels and Socks: One Great Mystery Solved - by Tootsie

I can sit on top of the family room couch for hours on end, watching out the window for those pesky squirrels running across the top of the fence. I just can't figure out how to catch one. If I could only climb trees. If only I were only a bit taller. If only these were ground squirrels.

David is always complaining about missing socks. I think all men must have a drawer full of mismatched socks. It's one of life's greatest mysteries. Where do they go? While there are many theories, I think this mystery has been solved.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

This 8-Year Republican, Neo-Conservative History Will Not Be Re-written


I don't want any conservative to look at my January 16 post titled "The True Bush Legacy" and think that I'm just another Bush-basher. I'm not. As far as I can tell, Dubya is a nice guy. All bashing is best directed at the people and policies that surrounded George W. Bush. Of course, as Commander-in-Chief Guy, he is ultimately responsible. 

It's just that Dubya was most likely a patsy, a tool. Or was he the greatest, most brilliant political frontman and actor of all time? That is the only history yet to be written. At best (for Bush), Bush was nothing but a figurehead in executing the new Republican, neo-conservative world vision. Sarah Palin was to be the perfect follow up. 

The neo-conservatives were born during President Johnson's Great Society. Things picked up for them with the fall of Nixon, at which point they began working toward creation of a coalition between traditional Republican business interests, wacky neo-conservative foreign policy and economic ideas, and the Religious Right.

Leaving aside any elements of religion and so-called family values, here are the hallmarks of this coalition:
  • Government is a corrupt, inefficient monolithic entity that must be suppressed until it is small enough "to drown in a bathtub", in the words of Grover Norquist. Ronald Reagan put in his 2 cents worth with his "nine most feared words in the English language - I'm from the government and I'm here to help" zinger. 
  • We, America, are freedom and democracy. Suppressed people everywhere will fall to their knees and kiss our feet when we liberate them. They will adopt what we do and become like us.
  • Supply-side economics, never ending tax cuts, trickle-down economics. This was the total subversion for economic gain of Arthur Laffer's "curve". What is the ideal tax rate "t" that maximizes tax revenue?  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Laffer-Curve.svg   We don't know. Regardless, we've gone way beyond "t" so that we will either spend our way into a depression, or government will be made small enough to drown in a bathtub. 
As for bullet number 1 above, we are the government; government is us. Bullet 2, only when we are a respected citizen of the world. Bullet 3, if you buy into neo-conservative voodoo economics, then you've been fooled; fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, um, um, um, can't get fooled again. The bottom line is that you've been tricked into voting against your own economic self-interest. 

My little diatribe is just the tip of the iceberg on the 8-year Bush legacy and the 45-year history of neo-conservatism. Paul Krugman has a whole bunch more that you would know if you have not been getting your news from reliable sources:

Do not allow any of this history to be stolen or re-written. George W. Bush's legacy has only one remaining question:  George W. Bush - The eternal optimist, a lovable but tragic Don Quixote figure, a patsy, a tool? Or the most brilliant actor and political frontman in United States political history?

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Wanted: Custom Clothing for Dachshunds - by Oscar

Remember some of my nicknames? - Noodle, Gremlin, Magwai, Stripe. Well, they've given me a new one - Tube. 

It's winter, I'm cold all the time, and my clothes keep coming off as I run and play all over the place. So I'm running around the house naked and David tells me I look like a "tube". A tube! A paper towel roll with 4 legs, a head and a tail.

Tube. So I need better, more form-fitting clothing. I'm imagining something like a zippered knit tube-sock. (I'm too active for velcro). Or maybe one of those hideous aerobic exercise leggings popular back in the '80's? Yeah, that's before my time, but I've encountered a couple around the house... Zenny.  Those leggings are great for playing hide-and-seek with Tootsie.

Can anyone help me? It's a long time until summer.

By the way, the pic is apparently a 1910 postcard from the archives of one of MY favorite websites:   http://dachshundlove.blogspot.com .

Friday, January 16, 2009

The True Bush Legacy

We know it's true: you can fool some of the people all of the time. But we never knew exactly how many that was. Now we know. 

Saturday, January 10, 2009

December 2008 Snowstorm - by Tootsie


Oscar got to ride, and I had to play sled dog. 
They say this mid-December snow storm was the bigger than anything seen here in over 30, 40, maybe 50 years. By the time it started to melt, there was over 14 inches on the ground, snow on top of ice on top of snow on top of ice on top of snow. This meant no regular walks for Oscar and me for over a week. I loved playing in the backyard, though. It's a good thing there were layers of ice mixed in the snowfall. Oscar and I still had trouble walking through the stuff. We both had some lowrider belly-dragging moments.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Disclaimer and Additional Commentary - by David


Let's talk about the "Marley image on a fish fillet" issue. I'm concerned that some might take offense to Tootsie's post about the images of Jesus Christ and/or the Virgin Mary on everyday items such as toasted cheese sandwiches. I had no intention whatsoever of insulting or denigrating either Christianity or the religious or cultural views of anyone. 

I am not a religious person, but I was once. I know enough about "the issues" to know that you can side either with the camp that follows the strict interpretation of the Bible, or the camp that sides with a church's (or cultural) interpretation of the Bible. But you can't do both. If you do, then someone will call you on it. 

There is nothing in the Bible that indicates that God speaks to selected people today through "images" on everyday items. Anyway, you might see one thing, while I see another. Think about it. 

Since any perceived image of Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary is only based on the images presented by centuries of culturally influenced artists, as each individual might perceive these images, then we see what we want to see. Think about it. 

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Who's REALLY the World's Worst Dog? Part 2 - by Oscar

I neglected to mention a couple very important exploits, plus one that will surly come my way. Some day and it will be mine. I already posted the rest of my exploits on December 25, 2008. 

* I've chewed through 2 USB thumb drives, totally destroying one and mangling another. I love pens and mechanical pencils, too. 
* Let's talk about the stairs. First, some background. My people really don't like carpet in the house too much, so they removed most of it. Since we're both vertically challenged, this created a problem for Tootsie and me. The hardwood on the stairs was really slippery for us and Tootsie, on several occasions, did a log roll down the stairs. Thump, thump, bang, thump, bang, thump. So our people had the stairs re-carpeted. I found a nice little corner of carpet on the bottom stair step that's so inviting. Rip, rip, shred, rip, shred, rip. 
* Remotes. There are 4 of them, just out of my reach. There's one each for the TV, cable, DVD, and sound system. So far, my people have worked really hard to keep them up on an end table out of my reach. Some day, one careless moment... mine.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Image of Marley's head found on a fish fillet - by Tootsie

You know how sometimes people find the image of Jesus Christ in a toasted cheese sandwich? Or how some people think they see the Virgin Mary in a tortilla or an ultrasound? Well, look what I found on a serving platter last night! See it? Right there on the lower right touching the lemon slices! Yes, it's an image of Marley's head on a fish fillet. Two little eyes, two ears, a little button nose. Isn't it cute?

Oscar doesn't think too much of Marley. Oscar thinks HE's the world's worst dog. Well, I love Marley and I think he's a hunk of burnin' canine love! Tall, blonde, handsome. Woof!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

I talk with my ears, and more - by Oscar

Normal position, relaxed
Nervous, scared
Annoyed
"Yippee! I'm all ears."
I use my ears as air resistance stabilizers, much like flaps on the wings of an airplane.